Esmeralda awarded me 3500 XP for nothing

There is another bug listed for what appears to be the same thing - Esmeralda awarding completion of going to the room full of mirrors (I was never told to do so, by the way - I was just given the task of going for a frostgeist skull). When I clicked on the "help" option, I was given the completion reward for a quest (I'm guessing it was the second step?) I wasn't given in the first place.

Reproduction rate: Uncertain - I would have to make a new character to test it out.
Blocker? Unless something important is given for doing the quest, I suppose not.
Location: Area: Highvale Outskirts (Novia_R6_Hills04_01) Loc: (3.0, 194.0, -453.7) DBG: Tm92aWFfUjZfSGlsbHMwNF8wMXx8KDMuMDA4LCAxOTQuMDAxLCAtNDUzLjc0NSl8KDAsIC0wLjgzLCAwLCAwLjU1Nyl8NTc1Ljg0MjN8MTkuNDAxMjR8Mi45Mjk5OQ==

[6/22/2018 9:57:33 AM] [9:57 AM] Esmeralda: So, you found a mystical looking-glass on the steeple's top floor? THAT'S AMAZING! Ahem! I mean that's amazing... And it was cold to the touch, or even to be near it... And its surface was like rippling water... You know what this means?! It means that something sinister is afoot! I know it! I suggest we take the first step to solving this mystery.
[6/22/2018 9:57:33 AM]
[6/22/2018 9:57:33 AM] [9:57 AM] You receive 150 gold!
[6/22/2018 9:57:33 AM] [9:57 AM] You gained 3500 experience needed for skill development!
[6/22/2018 9:57:50 AM] [9:57 AM] Skya: looking glass
[6/22/2018 9:57:50 AM] [9:57 AM] Esmeralda: Yes, yes! We're going through, step by step, to uncover where the looking-glasses takes us, or more precisely, where it takes YOU!
[6/22/2018 9:57:50 AM]
[6/22/2018 9:57:52 AM] [9:57 AM] Skya: first step
[6/22/2018 9:57:52 AM] [9:57 AM] Esmeralda: If I'm right, then the only way to use that mystical looking-glass is to make it think you're supposed to use it. You're definitely going to need my help with this... but don't tell ANYONE! Now, what I need you to do is go into the abandoned buildings that's barricaded and find a frostgeist - it's like a ghost, but a lot colder and meaner. It's better if you go at night since they mostly come out at night... mostly, as little Rebecca likes to say. Find a frostgeist and defeat it! Before it gets a chance to regenerate and come back, take its frozen skull and bring it back to me. Now go! Before someone overhears us.
[6/22/2018 9:57:52 AM] [9:57 AM] My journal updated with Esmeralda's request to find a frostgeist and bring back its frozen skull.
[6/22/2018 9:57:52 AM]
[6/22/2018 9:58:32 AM] [9:58 AM] Skya: frostgeist
[6/22/2018 9:58:32 AM] [9:58 AM] Esmeralda: Frostgeists are icy, cold creatures. Non-corporeal husks of what used to be a soul. The only thing that seems solid in their transparent bodies is their frozen skulls... Can never be called a hot-head, that's for certain. HA! Had to say it. If you see one, do not get close! They hunger for the warmth of the living and will drain your body dry of any heat, and that includes your soul. Some who are consumed by a frostgeist become frosgeists, themselves!
[6/22/2018 9:58:32 AM]
[6/22/2018 9:58:54 AM] [9:58 AM] Skya: Hyla
[6/22/2018 9:58:54 AM] [9:58 AM] Esmeralda: Such a wonderful child. So smart, courageous and always willing to help. It's a shame that her mother didn't survive the exodus to this monastery. And her father? Well, it's been roughly a week or two that he's been missing. Captain Blowhard's been very tight-lipped about the whole thing. Me, I fear that Hyla's father won't ever be coming back. So tragic, but I'm more than happy to take the little one under my wing. She so loves my tales.
[6/22/2018 9:58:54 AM]
[6/22/2018 9:59:10 AM] [9:59 AM] Skya: help
[6/22/2018 9:59:11 AM] [9:59 AM] Esmeralda: REALLY? A whole roomfull of mystical mirrors... with a really big one on the floor? Outstanding! I've no bloody idea what all of it means, but it's pretty outstanding. WAIT! I do have a clue... it's so obvious! I'm willing to bet that all those mirrors are fast travel portals to all around this region, with the big one going to wherever the big boss resides. HA! See? Can't get anything past me! But you knew that, right? Of course you did - we're on the same level, you and me. Now onto step three!
[6/22/2018 9:59:11 AM]
[6/22/2018 9:59:11 AM] [9:59 AM] You receive 150 gold!
[6/22/2018 9:59:11 AM] [9:59 AM] You gained 3500 experience needed for skill development!
[6/22/2018 9:59:14 AM] [9:59 AM] Skya: step-three
[6/22/2018 9:59:15 AM] [9:59 AM] Esmeralda: Okay, now we need to see what's behind those other two mirrors on the wall and, ultimately, where that big mirror on the floor leads to. I'm going to need essence from stronger frostgeists... like a frostgeist hexe and an elder frostgeist. They're a nasty bunch, those hexes. They have a knack for making people feel weaker and can attack from range! Be that as it may, I need an essence core from a hexe and a skull from an elder frostgeist. And remember, frostgeists and their ilk mostly come out at night, so you may have to wait for dusk before looking for them. You may want to try looking in areas where there's been a lot of bloodshed, like the Six Point Ranch. I hear that the elves attack that place a lot. Okay, off with you!
[6/22/2018 9:59:15 AM] [9:59 AM] I updated my journal with step three of Esmeralda's task list.
[6/22/2018 9:59:48 AM] [9:59 AM] I updated my journal with another step in step three of Esmeralda's task list.
[6/22/2018 9:59:48 AM]

User Specs:
OS: Windows 10 (10.0.0) 64bit
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6800K CPU @ 3.40GHz (12) System RAM: 65426
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 GPU RAM: 8088
SotA.Win.64.791.Date.06.06.18
Area: Novia_R6_Hills04_01
Area Display Name: Highvale Outskirts
Loc: (3.0, 194.0, -453.7)
Debug: Tm92aWFfUjZfSGlsbHMwNF8wMXx8KDMuMDA4LCAxOTQuMDAxLCAtNDUzLjc0NSl8KDAsIC0wLjgzLCAwLCAwLjU1Nyl8NTc1Ljg0MjN8MTkuNDAxMjR8My4xNw==

 

I think Esmeralda is loosing her mind.

 

I was able to repeat this on a different toon, using the same conversation steps. Asking about Hyla and then Help got me the gold, xp and propelled me to step 3.

Also interesting to note, I stepped through the conversation options with Esmeralda and then clicked on "help" again. She responded:
" Not until step three is complete! How can you move onto step four if you haven't even finished step three? Math is hard for you, eh?"

So it appears that "Help" is being extra helpful right now.