I don't want tech to be "magic". I want it to be transparent and understood.

Not sure folk are aware that using Google fonts by URL in their CSS undermines the privacy of each and every site visitor, sending their IP to GG with every visit. How? Because with each visit they download the font from GG, not your server.

If you will use GG fonts, don't do this

@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=FontName[...]

Download that font, and resource it locally instead

@font-face {
font-family: FontName';
font-style: normal;
src: url('../fonts/FontName.woff2');
[...]
}