“An Excerpt from *Viewing the World Through Fonta · Chapter Two · Origins* — By Fonta Researcher Anri”
In previous chapters, we explained to our readers how Fonta was born from the hands of a whimsical creator, and how, through subtle changes in sweetness and flavor within its recipe, it became a unique prism through which to glimpse social mobility and aesthetic tastes in Fontaine.
In this chapter, let us set aside the sociological magnifying glass for a moment and return to the orange bubbly liquid itself to embark on a journey of textual research into the “source of inspiration.”
Where did the initial spark of inspiration come from for the first person who turned “Fonta” from a concept into reality?
Flipping through the late creator’s early manuscripts—now preserved in the History Archives Department of the Fontaine Research Institute—a clear pursuit leaps off the page: sweet, fruity, orange-yellow, with a taste that required the bursting sting of bubbles.
He also hoped it would possess effects such as “healing minor wounds,” “dispelling cold,” and “relieving fatigue.”
Note that its initial positioning was not that of a mass-market beverage, but a health-boosting “medicinal drink.” However, the actual finished product failed to fully achieve those miraculous-sounding health benefits.
The creator settled for second best, launching it onto the market as an ordinary fruit-flavored carbonated beverage.
As luck would have it, its unique, refreshing taste and vibrant flavor quickly took Fontaine by storm.
Later, by relying on an original “high-pressure gas injection” process, it built a technical barrier while driving costs down indefinitely, successfully retaining the crown of Teyvat’s best-selling fruit beverage for many years.
Thus, a core question arises:
Why did this creator have such a clear and specific vision for the flavor, color, and even effects of his intended product right from the start?
The author speculates that the most likely possibility is this: the creator himself had once tasted a drink that closely matched his description, and what he longed for was to recreate that memory’s flavor to a tee.
To that end, we took a copy of the manuscript and traveled to Sumeru to visit Mr. Tighnari, a renowned scholar of the Amurta Darshan at the Akademiya, hoping to solve this puzzle with the help of his vast botanical and historical knowledge.
Mr. Tighnari is a scholar of a demihuman race with prominent fox ears and a fluffy tail.
Handsome and young in appearance, he holds a senior academic title within the Akademiya and is highly respected for his scholarly achievements.
He and his disciple, a shy young girl named Collei with light-green short hair, warmly received us.
After carefully studying the manuscript’s descriptions, Mr. Tighnari provided a direction:
“Judging from the flavor profile you described, especially the initial pursuit of medicinal effects, the prototype you’re looking for is likely an ancient beverage known as SoulGlad.”
“SoulGlad?” We noted down this unfamiliar term.
“Yes. This was not a product of natural evolution in Teyvat.” Mr. Tighnari went to retrieve a few documents from the Akademiya for us.
“Its name and story are scattered across quite a few ancient records.”
These heavy, slightly worn volumes told us a story buried by time:
According to the appendix of *General Examination of the Seven Nations Chronicles: Archon War Era*:
After the Archon War officially concluded and the Seven Archons were established, the seven victorious Archons were invited by the Geo Archon, Morax, to a grand gathering in Liyue.
It was both a first meeting among the gods and tacitly understood as the prelude to a national carnival celebrating the end of the war.
The original Cryo Archon, His Majesty Tsar of White Sands Monomakh Snezhnitsny of Snezhnaya, passed through Mondstadt en route to Liyue to meet up with Lord Barbatos, the Anemo Archon.
Records mention that in the buffer zone along the border between the two nations, the God of Ice encountered a group of human refugees who had lost their homes to monster attacks and were suffering from hunger and cold.
That Tsar of White Sands—famous as the “God of Literature and Art,” yet skilled in impaling his enemies’ heads with a spear, and whose personality was mostly described as “elegant and distant” in historical records—showed unexpected mercy on this occasion.
It is said that he used his power to create a miraculous tree.
Golden liquid, warm and sweet, flowed from this tree.
Not only did it quickly fill the refugees’ bellies and drive away the chill in their bodies, but it even accelerated the healing of frostbite.
The refugees called the liquid “Divine Nectar,” while the fairies who accompanied the Cryo Archon to the banquet referred to the tree as “SoulGlad.” In Ancient Fairy Language, it carries the meanings of “sweet rain,” “stream of grace,” and “golden orange.” Enjoying the story? Read on at NovelPing.
Hearing this, an editor traveling with us couldn’t help muttering softly: “This sounds… almost like a legendary origin story invented for a drink just to sell it better. Just like some antique dealers in Fontaine who always love to claim their goods are ‘a comb used by Lady Egeria’ or ‘a gem passed down from Remurian royalty.'”
Mr. Tighnari’s ears twitched sharply.
He wasn’t angry; instead, he gave an understanding smile, though his expression quickly turned serious:
“I understand your skepticism. Stories about the gods have truth mixed with falsehood, especially those concerning deceased Archons, making their authenticity even harder to verify. However, records regarding SoulGlad are not limited to a single account, nor are they fabrications by later merchants.”
He motioned for us to look at the different books he had opened:
*History of the Pale Star Spirits: Early Years of the Archons* explicitly recorded:
[“The Tsar of White Sands, taking pity on the cold and hungry refugees along the Northern Way, gathered elemental essences to grow a nectar tree. Its sap was like warm rain, saving countless lives, and the people called it SoulGlad.”]
This is an official historical text of Snezhnaya.
*Millennial Wind Records of Mondstadt: Diplomatic Volume* records that when the Anemo Archon, Barbatos, welcomed the Cryo Archon at the border, he was presented with a gift named SoulGlad.
The Anemo Archon mixed a small portion of its sap with fine Mondstadt wine to craft a special “mead-wine.” Shared with some of his people during the early Windblume Festivals, it was regarded as a symbol of friendship between the two nations.
Even more authoritative is *Records of the Archons’ Banquet*, transcribed by a certain long-lived Adeptus who served the Geo Archon back then.
The original manuscript is stored in the secret archives of the Liyue Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the Akademiya possesses a transcribed copy.
In it, it mentions that during the private banquet of the Seven Archons, the Cryo Archon Monomakh brought out golden syrup presented in crystal goblets.
[“Its taste was exquisitely sweet, with a subtle vitality flowing through it, shared among the gods.”]
The Geo Archon evaluated it as no ordinary thing, while Greater Lord Rukkhadevata expressed interest in the “vibrancy and charm contained within it.”
Mr. Tighnari closed the book and looked at us: “If these official histories and records from different nations with varying perspectives still aren’t enough proof…” He paused, dropping an even stronger piece of evidence: “What if physical proof exists?”
We were stunned on the spot.
“Phy… physical proof?”
Fonta would certainly spoil after three to five hundred years, but since SoulGlad was a divine creation, it was naturally a different matter.
“Yes,” Mr. Tighnari nodded.
“Inside the deep treasury of the House of Daena in Sumeru, a sample of SoulGlad is indeed preserved. It was precisely after that banquet that Greater Lord Rukkhadevata asked for and received a small sample from the Cryo Archon out of research interest. Greater Lord Rukkhadevata tried to analyze its composition and principles, but unfortunately, she was never able to replicate its core miraculous effects of satisfying hunger and promoting healing. Some scholars wanted to continue the research, but if even Greater Lord Rukkhadevata could not replicate it, it was almost impossible for ordinary scholars—or even the Sages—to make any headway in this field. That sample, along with some related state gift documents from back then, is safely preserved as a testament to the ancient friendship and academic exchange between the two nations. Of course, such a precious, historically significant, and unique ancient artifact sample cannot be publicly displayed. It is available only to a very select few permitted scholars for research under strict conditions.”
We digested this astonishing piece of information.
Mr. Tighnari continued to explain: “Based on the research and conjectures left by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, SoulGlad is not a product of natural evolution in Teyvat or ordinary alchemy. That Tsar of White Sands, the original Cryo Archon, besides his widely known title as the God of Literature and Art, was also mentioned in high-level records as a master alchemist, though that identity was not as widely disseminated as the former. His creations were often unique, rare, and difficult to duplicate.”
Among our accompanying researchers, there happened to be someone studying related fields.
That deity was quite casual when making things, and many of his creations were one-of-a-kind.
Indeed.
Whether it was the Light Cones hyped to sky-high prices in antique collecting circles that could record and preserve historical video memories; the Ice Lyre discovered in the ruins of the Remurian civilization, which could automatically play complex melodies to attract and alter fish migration patterns; or the SoulGlad we were discussing now, all were considered miracles created casually by that god.
Other alchemists could not replicate their core mechanics no matter how hard they tried, so these were regarded as “arts exclusive to the god.”
In a tone tinged with regret, Mr. Tighnari said: “Although we found the prototype you spoke of, unfortunately, that created SoulGlad nectar tree is said to have stopped secreting sap long ago. With the cataclysm that swept through Teyvat five hundred years ago and the mysterious fall of the original Cryo Archon, the tree itself vanished into the dust of history along with its creator. What currently exists in Sumeru’s collection is merely an inactive sample. As for the possible remains of that tree, Snezhnaya regards them as an important relic of the late emperor. They were relocated and strictly guarded after the disaster, making it impossible for outsiders to ever see them.”
Hearing this, we had no choice but to give up the idea of laying eyes on that legendary nectar tree, even if it were just a withered trunk.
With a wealth of knowledge and a trace of melancholy, we bade farewell to Mr. Tighnari and Collei, leaving the wisdom-infused city of Sumeru.
Since SoulGlad was so rare and had even gone extinct five hundred years ago, through what channel did the creator of Fonta—living in relatively modern times—learn about it and obtain such specific details of inspiration?
We plunged back into old papers once more, searching through every written trace left by that creator in even greater detail.
Finally, on a surviving page of a nearly forgotten private diary, we found the key clue.
The diary revealed that in his early years, this creator was neither a technician nor a scholar, but a traveling merchant trading between nations who had traveled to Snezhnaya more than once.
During one of his trips to Snezhnaya in the middle of his career, it coincided with a dramatic shift in Snezhnayan politics—the Tsaritsa intended to push forward reforms that threatened the foundation of traditional fairy noble rule, creating a tense atmosphere within Snezhnaya.
The keen-nosed merchant sensed trouble and prepared to end his trip early to return to Fontaine.
Among the group traveling back together was a fairy noble named Kirill, who also intended to temporarily leave the Winter Capital to lay low.
Perhaps out of boredom during the journey, or perhaps the noble sir really took a liking to a novelty item the merchant carried—the diary vaguely mentioned a marvelous chip that could capture a fleeting moment of light and shadow, most likely a Light Cone.
Fairies never grew tired of collecting relics of the late emperor.
Lord Kirill proposed trading some jewelry he had brought, along with “an ancient, treasured item that is now out of print,” in exchange for it.
The diary read: “…Lord Kirill produced a small, sealed crystal bottle maintained by ice and a certain spell. Inside was less than a mouthful of golden liquid as thick as honey. He claimed it was a ‘relic of the Tsar of White Sands’ era’ named SoulGlad, offering it as a friendly gift whether the trade went through or not. I tasted a small sip. Its flavor was so exquisite and wondrous beyond words, sweet as a mixture of the ripest Sunsettias and honey. After swallowing, a warm current rose from my stomach, and my fatigue vanished in an instant… I decided on the spot to make the trade.”
It was this astounding taste that planted the seed in the merchant’s mind.
Upon returning to Fontaine, unable to forget that miraculous flavor and sensation, he used the remaining liquid to throw himself into beverage development.
He successfully replicated the primary fruity flavor using Bulle Fruit, a local specialty of Fontaine with a similar taste profile.
He then painstakingly studied and invented a technique to inject bubbles into the drink, simulating that “bursting mouthfeel.”
Once the original orange-flavored Fonta was released, its unprecedented refreshing experience took the Court of Fontaine by storm, capturing the hearts of rich and poor alike.
Beyond this, the stories and turmoils spawned by Fonta’s rise were far more convoluted and fantastical than its origins.
They almost served as a reflection of society across Teyvat’s nations in recent history:
Internal family feuds triggered by the distribution of Fonta company shares; and the famous “Erinnyes Manor Sealed-Room Assassination Case,” whose bizarre nature even astonished Lady Furina, the Hydro Archon—”More dramatic than the most thrilling play at the Opera Epiclese.” This case indirectly prompted His Honor, Iudex Neuvillette, to revise Fontaine’s laws regarding inheritance and commercial crime.
Foreign diplomatic officials and certain military officers of Snezhnaya stationed in Fontaine, captivated by Fonta’s flavor, actually abused their positions to illicitly sell military supplies in exchange for Fonta syrup or even shares.
This resulted in a financial and military scandal that shocked both nations, forcing the Cryo Tsaritsa to issue the *Decree on Reforming Military and Civil Governance* to drastically purge corruption.
Puzzlingly, Fonta’s popularity in Snezhnaya at times rivaled that of its local traditional spirits.
Does this lie in some secret of Snezhnaya’s native fairy populations, along with their memories and emotions attached to the late emperor’s era?
Perhaps this is another topic worthy of exploration.
After the initial patent protection period for Fonta’s recipe expired, Mondstadt merchants also attempted to replicate it, releasing a Sunsettia-flavored sparkling water.
Fontaine’s merchants cleverly guided public opinion, steering the Mondstadters’ research direction toward the “sparkling wine” category, leveraging Mondstadt’s deep wine culture to subtly neutralize homogenized competition…
Of course, these commercial gambits, human struggles, and social ripples surrounding a simple beverage are stories to be detailed in subsequent chapters of this book.
At this point, we can finally draw a temporary conclusion as to where the initial inspiration for that golden bubbly liquid came from—
It stemmed from a casual creation by a benevolent deity.
Passing through the hands of time and a chance trade, it ignited a Fontainian merchant’s inspiration, ultimately evolving into an orange wave that swept across Teyvat.