"Long tedius grind" is a tautology, being the grind supposed to be long and tedius.
As it is now, you need luck, farm and time to get your relic, and it's perfect. Why do you people keep splicing the steps? It's not "12 atmas for atma relic, 9 books for animus, 75 alexandrites for novus", it's "12 atmas, 9 books and 75 alexandrites for novus".
I'm not saying it doesn't have to be "too accessible", I'm just saying it wouldn't be fun if it was such an easy and fast quest. And please, luck based? Come on, it's the less luck-based grind I've ever seen. Just a plain 3% drop, it's wonderful! I've been saying this a lot in this thread, but haven't you played Patapon 3? Freaking 0.1% drop from a 15 minute dungeon? Or FFXII? 0.01% drop of a Zodiac Spear from a chest in Henne Mines?
Turn on the game and farm your atmas, instead of wasting time complaining to the walls here.