Strange NPC's

The NPC's in FFII I have noticed are strangely involved in everything. Like the secret Wild Rose thing Hilda has going on. You talk to an NPC and they're like "You should talk to Hilda, leader of the rebel group. She'll know what to do!" Does everyone know about this group? That doesn't make it seem so secret.

It's great that the NPC's help give you hints as to where to go in your quest, but it seems like they know too much sometimes :P.

I always thought that meant they supporting the rebels, as in that's their secret code, so they know it. I guess Hilda has a lot of followers :D