Imperial Knights Route 3 walkthrough

This page covers Route 3 — the path where you borrow the guild fee from Sting, escape the bandit hideout cleanly, and the game treats you as a sharper operator rather than a captive. Route 3 is the mercenary-and-frontier story: merchant towns, mines, elf woods, casino, volcano, fortress, and a prison break. It is balanced around a cleared Route 1 and New Game+ stats. If you are on a fresh save, read the route guide and seriously consider Route 1 first.

If you want a compact route-flow instead of a room chart, use the route planner. This page lists Route 3 rooms in order. Route 1 rooms that also appear here (Spirit Cave, castle basement) are summarized; see the Route 1 walkthrough for full detail on shared sections.

Maldonia West Road → Bandit Hideout (clean escape)

1. Talk to Sting at the guild, choose “let him cover it.”
2. Receive guild certificate.
3. Leave Maldonia west. Fight Sting and two bandits — win this fight.
4. You are captured and taken to the bandit hideout.
5. Examine the glowing spot near the entrance to get an old nail.
6. Examine the door. Begin the stealth section.
7. Move left, open the chest on the right. Equip your gear.
8. Return and talk to Butts (the bandit boss). Fight two bandits.
9. Fight Butts and win. This is the Route 3 split condition — winning the boss fight.
10. After Butts: move left, go down, then right, then up, then right, then circle around down, then down, then down again to reach Merchant Town Machant.

Note: If you lose to Butts, you go to Route 2 instead. Butts is tuned for NG+ stats. On a fresh file, this is nearly impossible — that is intentional. Clear Route 1 first.

Imperial Knights Route 3 full gameplay — clean escape and frontier path

Merchant Town Machant

1. Enter the guild (center-right).
2. Report to the guild clerk. Receive Adventure Suit — Diana’s equipment slots change. Re-equip.
3. Talk to the clerk on the left. Recruit Tear and Lea as party members.
4. Leave the guild.
5. Enter the shop second from the upper-left. Talk to the traveling merchant — choose “I want information.” No cost.
6. Exit Machant.

Why Tear and Lea here: Unlike Route 1 where you recruit Lysithea on the North Road, Route 3 gives you Tear and Lea early. This changes the party dynamic significantly.

Puremite Mine

1. Enter the mine.
2. Go to the bar (upper-left). Talk to the steel merchant.
3. Exit the bar. Enter the upper mine entrance.
4. Go upper-left. Talk to a woman.
5. Return and go center-upper. Circle right, then go down-left to the lower-left stairs.
6. Circle counter-clockwise, go down-left again to the lower stairs.
7. Go down. Talk to a woman. Ellis joins.
8. Equip Ellis. Ellis has sewing and fire/earth magic — useful for armor repair and combat.
9. Return to the center entrance. Enter the center mine shaft.
10. Enter the front cave. Go up, then down-left, then up.
11. Fight Puremite Golem.

Puremite Golem warning: This is one of the hardest early bosses in Route 3. Ellis’s fire magic and Diana’s physical attacks both work. If you are underleveled from NG+ carry, this fight will be rough. Use Mina Heal and Repair Kits.

Post-battle bug warning: Japanese charts note that fast-forwarding (W key) during the post-battle sequence can cause a soft-lock. Let the scene play at normal speed.

12. After the battle, Ellis leaves the party automatically. Strip her gear.
13. Exit the mine.
14. Enter the bar. Talk to the steel merchant. Exit.
15. Exit the Puremite Mine area.

Merchant Town Machant (second visit)

1. Enter the shop second from upper-left.
2. Talk to the traveling merchant again. Pay 5,000 G to receive: Puremite Ore Voucher, Contract Scroll.
3. Exit the shop. Enter the bar immediately left. Exit.
4. Enter the inn (lower-left). Rest.
5. Next day: exit the inn. Enter the weapon shop (above).
6. Exchange for Puremite equipment. Equip it.
7. Exit the weapon shop. Enter the shop again. Talk to the traveling merchant for information. Exit.
8. Exit Machant.

Elf Forest

1. Enter the elf forest. Go up.
2. Talk to Survey Team B.
3. Go up the left edge. Talk to Survey Team A.
4. Fight Butts — this is a rematch from the hideout.
5. Continue up. Chest in center-upper contains Elixir.
6. At the branch, go right.
7. Enter the center-center area. Go left, then up, then go right at the upper path.
8. Circle around to center-upper. Fight Ariel.

Ariel fight: Ariel is a plant-boss in the elf forest. She uses nature magic and plant-based attacks. Fire weakness applies. Bring fire-element weapons or cards.

9. Go up. Reach the Elf Village.

Elf Village

1. Enter the upper-right house. Rest at the left spot.
2. Exit the house. Enter the lower-left house.
3. Talk to Ariel. She is not yet in the party — this is a story scene.
4. Exit the Elf Village.

World map: Return to the world map. Go to Merchant Town Machant.

Machant (third visit) → Puremite Voucher exchange

1. Enter the shop second from upper-left.
2. Talk to the traveling merchant. Pay 10,000 G + Puremite Ore Voucher to receive: Puremite Ore Voucher (second), 10,000 G refund.
3. Enter the weapon shop. Exchange for more Puremite equipment. Equip.
4. Exit Machant.

Hertzots Town (casino destination)

1. Enter Hertzots. The casino is in the center-upper area.
2. Before gambling: buy Poison Daggers in bulk from the weapon shop — these are used for crafting and combat.
3. Enter the upper-left mansion. Talk to Ellis (who lives here). She rejoins the party.
4. Exit Hertzots.

Casino note: The casino in Hertzots is one of three major minigame destinations in Route 3. See the Casino guide for poker, slots, VIP room, and Golden Elephant details. You do not need to complete casino content for the main story.

Spirit Cave (Elf Forest entrance)

1. Return to the elf forest. Go to the Elf Village.
2. Enter the left house. Talk to Ariel. She joins the party.
3. Remove one party member (you now have five story members: Diana, Tear, Lea, Ellis, Ariel — four slots).
4. Equip Ellis and Ariel.
5. Exit the house. Go up, then up-right, then right.
6. Circle around to center-right. Chest (center-left stairs up) contains Elixir. Chest (center stairs up) contains Fire Ring.
7. Go right, then down-right, then up.
8. Multi-fight sequence: five thugs.
9. Fight Spirit Plant (elf-forest variant — fire weak). Obtain Spirit Stone.
10. Exit Spirit Cave. Ellis and Ariel leave automatically. Strip their gear.
11. Enter the lower-left house. Talk to Ariel (story scene). Rest until next day.
12. Exit the Elf Village.

Hertzots (second visit) → Norakura letter

1. Enter the guild (center-left).
2. Talk to the guild clerk on the left. Recruit one party member.
3. Exit the guild. Enter Ellis’s mansion (upper-left).
4. Talk to Ellis near the entrance. Receive Merchant’s Introduction Letter.
5. Exit Hertzots.

Maldonia → Ether Knight ceremony

1. Enter Maldonia. Go to the castle.
2. Talk to the emperor. Do not pick a dialogue option — selecting any named option causes a soft-lock. Choose the bottom-most empty space.
3. Go down. Enter the lower-right stairs.
4. Circle around to lower-left, then circle to center-right.
5. Choose blonde or silver hair (purely cosmetic).
6. Receive Metal Armor. Diana’s equippable items change. Re-equip.
7. Talk to the emperor again. Norakura joins as a temporary party member.

Soft-lock warning: When Norakura joins and the dialogue asks you to pick a response, do not pick any named option. Select the lowest empty space. This is a known bug from the Japanese version.

8. Exit Maldonia.

Fortress Eraser (first visit — story)

1. Enter Fortress Eraser.
2. Go to the blue circle in the center-right. Enter the Power Room.
3. Go up. Talk to the Construction Supervisor.
4. Exit Fortress Eraser.

Olim Great Volcano

1. Enter the volcano. Go up.
2. Go up, then up-right.
3. Fight three Kaen clan enemies.
4. Go right, then down. Chest (upper-right) contains Fire Robe.
5. Go upper-left.
6. Go right, then up. Fight three Kaen clan again.
7. Go left, then left. Chest (center-down) contains Puremite Ore.
8. Go down, then up, then right, then right, then up, then up.
9. Circle around. Chest (upper) contains Fire Hammer.
10. Go to the center. Obtain Flare Core.
11. Return. Fight three Kaen clan.
12. Exit the volcano.

Fortress Eraser (second visit — Power Room)

1. Enter Fortress Eraser. Talk to the Construction Supervisor inside. Give the Flare Core.
2. Norakura leaves — strip their gear.
3. Exit Fortress Eraser.
4. Return to Maldonia. Rest at the inn (left).
5. Enter the guild. Talk to the left clerk. Recruit one party member.
6. Exit Maldonia.

Note: From this point forward, no more story party members join. The rest of the route is Diana + three hired mercenaries or remaining allies.

Monster Park

1. Enter Monster Park. Go up.
2. Chest (upper-left) contains Earth Helm.
3. Go up. Go center-right, then upper-left.
4. Fight three Kakuen enemies.
5. Go left. Chest (upper-left) contains Wind Claw.
6. Chest (center-upper) contains Elixir.
7. Go upper-right, then up.
8. Fight three Research Material enemies.
9. Enter the tree. Fight six Research Material enemies.
10. Fight six Research Material enemies again.
11. Exit Monster Park.
12. Return to Maldonia. Rest at the inn. Exit Maldonia.

Fortress Eraser (third visit — final dungeon)

1. Enter Fortress Eraser. Talk to the Construction Supervisor in the back.
2. Go down. Enemies appear. Chests also appear.
3. Go upper-left. Circle around to lower-left.
4. Chest (center-upper) contains Platinum Mace.
5. Go left, then down. Chest (immediate lower) contains Elixir.
6. Chest (upper-left) contains Puremite Ore.
7. Go center-down. Chest (lower-left) contains Holy Dagger.
8. Go center-down again. Multi-fight sequence.
9. Fight three Imperial Soldiers.
10. Fight three Demon Knights.
11. You are captured and taken to prison.

Prison Break → Slave Facility

1. Begin prison break. Circle around to the upper-left.
2. Talk to Papa (your father Robert) in the center-upper left area.
3. Go upper-left. Chest (lower-left) contains Elixir.
4. Go center-down.
5. Enter the Puremite Mine.
6. Talk to the two people in the center-right. Purchase Puremite equipment. Equip.
7. Exit the Puremite Mine.

Maldonia Castle Basement (finale)

Route 3 shares the same castle basement map and boss order as Routes 1 and 2. The finale is the same three-boss sequence: Tear Beast → Sati → Mage Reinhardt.

1. Rest at the inn, refill items at the tool shop.
2. Enter the upper-left castle area.
3. Talk to the man in the center. Pay 1,000 G for the sewer key.
4. Navigate the maze: upper-left → around to upper-right → left-up-down → left.
5. Chests: Mithril Dagger, Mithril Buster.
6. Continue: around to lower-right → lower-left.
7. Chests: Mithril Spear + Mithril Hammer, Fire Rod, Mithril Knuckle, Holy Bow.
8. Go upper-right. Fight Tear Beast + three Demon Knights.
9. Heal fully. Go down → down-right-up.
10. Chests: Mithril Guitar, Dark Mace.
11. Go down-right-up again. Two consecutive fights.
12. Fight Sati (magic attack debuff, 80% current-HP spike every five turns).
13. Fight Mage Reinhardt (ice wall, mana drain followed by party-wide nuke — defend after drain).
14. Ending plays.

Route 3 endings: Only one ending on Route 3. The Norakura soft-lock, Ellis/Ariel departures, and the Fortress Eraser finale are the main story beats. Gallery content unlocks per clear.

Guild quests on Route 3

Quest	Location	Reward
Survey team search	Galvir Lake	5,000 G
Girl’s revenge	Wicked merchant’s mansion	EXP 6,000
Sleeping prince rescue	Provincial noble’s mansion	5x Puremite Ore

The girl’s revenge quest starts with a girl in a house in the lower-right of Maldonia when you first enter. It is very easy to miss — the NPC is not marked.

Key differences from Route 1

Aspect	Route 1	Route 3
Opening	Pay fee yourself	Borrow, escape hideout, beat Butts
Early party	Lysithea, Tear, Lea	Tear, Lea from Machant
Key ally	Ellis (mine wall, Route 3 only)	Ellis, Ariel
Seikuri	Normal village	Orc-occupied houses
Casino	Not accessible	Hertzots casino accessible
Fortress	Not in story	Fortress Eraser is a major dungeon
Norakura	Not in party	Temporary party member
Tone	Imperial loyalty	Mercenary and frontier

Tips for Route 3

• Puremite Golem is the real gate. If you cannot beat it, go back to Machant and grind. Ellis’s fire magic helps significantly.
• Ellis leaves after the mine. Do not invest rare materials in her equipment.
• Ariel is worth the slot. Fire weakness makes her useful against plant bosses in the elf forest.
• Norakura soft-lock — remember: when he joins, pick the empty bottom option, not a named character.
• Fortress Eraser is the “strike against the empire’s darkness” promise on Kagura’s page. Bring full supplies.
• The casino in Hertzots is optional but the Golden Elephant at 10,000 coins is a completionist goal.

Related pages

• Route guide — opening conditions and route comparison
• Route 1 walkthrough — shared room sections
• Route 2 walkthrough — the captivity and facility path
• Casino guide — poker, slots, VIP, and Golden Elephant
• Combat — element weaknesses and boss patterns
• Checklist — completion tracking
• Ether Knight — mid-game class ceremony
• New Game+ — what carries between files