I think that there must be Gil sellers on the board of Square-Enix because I can't understand the logic of this quest otherwise. The need to acquire Alexandrite is sufficient to pace the acquisition of a Novus weapon. The additional requirement to meld 75 pieces of materia (equal parts I, II, III and IV) is absurd.

I'm gathering up all the mats that I need before I do my first meld. I've already spent over $2M gil and figure it will cost $4M before I'm done. I've been doing this by selling other materia that I get through Spirit Bonding.

I'm sure, though, that the more impatient types out there will simply buy gil to get the materia needed. According to this helpful tell I just got (which SE seems incapable of repressing), my $4M gil would only cost $28.

Seems to me that this part of the quest is a great big present to all the gil sellers.