You can get 32 relics with a chapter 1 account, it would only require 4 normal provinces to fight/cater. It might take a few days but it is doable as opposed to making CC without a MA which you only get at the end of chapter 1 and that could take more then a week to unlock.
Just to let you know: it was quest no. 71. And before this quest, event asked to complete 8 encounters (and in 2016 it meaned only province encounters, because tournament wasn't credited), to get 24 relics, to complete 12 encounters and some quests later other 16 encounters. Without considering producing, buying and upgrading quests with all the space & resources that a chapt. I have, or better, don't have - no coins and supplies refill, without mentioning time boosters.
And after that, there was a quest asking for other 40 relics, then another for T3 goods as
@Lovec Krys already says for other event, and then 50 relics once again. About spells, it was requested to produce 1 PoP on quest no. 14, but if you were lucky enough you could get it from NH. Quest no. 34 asked for 2 PoP, and the same for quest no. 54; quest no. 64 asked for 3 PoP just like quest no. 84. Oh, sorry, you're right, absolutely doable.
sarcasm mode: ON
I really don't understand people who feel the need to complain claiming - and continuing to insist - in something that was definitely not true.