combining module scripts[Closed, reindexing of the table requiored]?

The question

I need to use two module scripts that has a third as its parent, For efficiency I would like to just have to require the top level module script instead of having to individually add each module script into a separate variable.

So is it possible to merge the two child module scripts in the parent? For efficiency I do not want to make another copy.

Example only (not tested)

module script A:-

local f = {}

function f.a()
	print('a1')
end

function f.b()
	print('a2')
end

return f

module script b:-

local f = {}

function f.c()
	print('b1')
end

function f.d()
	print('b2')
end

return f

Parent module script:-

local mod1 = require(script.a)
local mod2 = require(script.b)

-- I am not looking to create another variable e.g.
local tmp = {}
for I, v in pairs(mod1) do
	--add to tmp
end

for I, v in pairs(mod2) do
	--add to tmp
end

return tmp --- I do not want to make a copy as this is inefficient 

-- now how do I return both module script as one variable
return mod1+mod2 --  example

I hope that I have managed to explain this well, pls comment if you need any more info.

Short answer: No, there is no other way.

Long answer:

If you're doing this so it looks better to other users or something and just don't want to iterate through the tables on the parent module, you can easily use the __add metamethod on one (or both, but I recommend only Module Script A for efficiency) the tables returned by the modules.

An example is below:

Module Script A

local f = {}

function f.a()
    print('a1')
end

function f.b()
    print('a2')
end

return setmetatable(f,{ -- setmetatable returns the given table
    __add = function(self, otherTable)
        local tmp = {}
        for i,v in pairs(self) do
            rawset(tmp, i, v) -- if you use i (either on table.insert or rawset), it'll be overwritten if the same key is used on another module
        end
        for i,v in pairs(otherTable) do
           rawset(tmp, i, v)
        end
    end
})

Module Script B

local f = {}

function f.c()
    print('b1')
end

function f.d()
    print('b2')
end

return f

Parent Module

local mod1 = require(script.a)
local mod2 = require(script.b)

return mod1+mod2

-- OR, if you want to make it shorter:

return require(script.a) + require(script.b)

Hope it helps. Comment if you have any question.