Fire Emblem: Three Houses offers players the chance to see the conflict enveloping the land of Fodlan from different perspectives that split off into four different routes. These routes affect who Byleth teaches and gets to know, as well as where the characters are at after the timeskip. A route that is easy to achieve but could slip through your fingers if you're not careful is the Crimson Flower route.
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Though the route is shorter than the other three routes, being only 18 chapters as opposed to the others having either 21 or 22 chapters, it allows players to better understand the Adrestian Empire's princess Edelgard and her motivations as to why she does what she eventually does (more on that in a bit). Here is how to obtain the Crimson Flower Route.
Spoilers ahead for Part I of Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Choose The Black Eagles In The Beginning
As Edelgard is a major focus of the Crimson Flower route, you have to choose to teach the Black Eagles in chapter 2. This is because this route is only unlockable in this path.
Since she is a house leader, Edelgard cannot be recruited if you choose the Blue Lions or Golden Deer houses.
Reach C+ Support With Edelgard
The Black Eagles offer the only real chance of having a proper support and even romance, if you wish, with Edelgard. As such you have to reach C+ support with Edelgard before initiating the main mission for Chapter 11: Throne Of Knowledge. These supports will provide you with insight into Edelgard's backstory.
It should be noted too that the first support conversation, the C support, only opens up after Chapter 6.
What Happens During Her C Support
Byleth hears Edelgard screaming and crying out in the middle of the night as the former is taking a leisurely stroll through the monastery. They check up on her where she reveals she had a nightmare about her childhood.
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She reveals that she once had ten siblings but they either all died, went insane, or became crippled from disease. This has left her as the sole heir to the Imperial throne, which now sees her more determined to prevent "such terrible things" from happening again. What could she mean by that?
What Happens During Her C+ Support
Once again Byleth wanders the monastery at night and runs into Edelgard who was struggling to sleep and wanted to get some fresh air. Here, she reveals what happened to her as a child and her siblings.
Edelgard was imprisoned underneath the Imperial Palace and was experimented on to try and imbue her with a major crest, as she only possessed a minor one at the time. She managed to survive at the cost of not only the lives of her siblings, but several innocent people as well.
Asking who is responsible will reveal that the prime minister was to blame. Edelgard's father, the emperor, tried to stop it but failed and he soon became a puppet ruler at the hands of the prime minister.
After this, Edelgard will reveal that she now bears the Crest of Flames, the very same crest that Byleth possesses, as a result of the atrocities. As a result of the experience, she vows to prevent such experiments from being sanctioned again.
Attend Her Coronation
If the C+ support was reached, then Byleth will have the option of going to her coronation as Adrestian Emperor to serve as an official witness during Chapter 11. She can be found when exploring the monastery so talk to her and she will ask for Byleth to go with her to the Imperial capital. Note that this will occupy your time for the week so be sure to do everything around the monastery first and then speak to Edelgard. You will also be warned that this decision will drastically affect the story.
What Happens During This Event
Byleth will go with Edelgard and witness her become the Adrestian emperor after her father relinquishes the throne to her. Immediately after this, the prime minister who was behind Edelgard's torment walks in and is then punished for what he did to her.
Complete The Storyline Battle "Conflict In The Holy Tomb" And Side With Edelgard
The cutscene before the battle starts out the same as the other three routes. Except for this time, Edelgard is revealed to be the Flame Emperor before the battle even starts. This makes her normal self the boss as opposed to her Flame Emperor persona. Don't worry as the choice to join her has not played out yet.
After the battle is over, Rhea will order Byleth to kill her, and then the choice to ally with Edelgard or the Church of Seiros will present itself. In order to unlock the Crimson Flower route, you must choose to help Edelgard as choosing to not help her will instead open the Silver Snow route instead of the Crimson Flower route.
What Happens Afterwards
After committing to your decision, you will now fight on the side of the empire during the battle of Garrach Mach in Chapter 12. Edelgard will be thankful for your support and any student you were able to recruit before the end of Chapter 11 will now be fighting on your side.
After chapter 12 ends, the Crimson Flower route will officially begin.
Next: Fire Emblem Three Houses: How To Defeat The Death Knight
