You've finally reached the end. The Arche Abbey is a vertical nightmare of twisted metal and alchemical madness, a place where the game really tests if you've been paying attention to your parry timings. Most players are so focused on surviving the gauntlet toward Simon Manus that they sprint past the most human character in the entire tower. Honestly, missing Lies of P Test Subject 826 is one of the easiest mistakes you can make in a first playthrough.
He’s tucked away. He’s quiet. And if you don't open a very specific door, he stays trapped in that miserable hallway forever.
Where is Test Subject 826?
Finding him requires a bit of platforming and a leap of faith.
Once you hit the Arche Abbey Outer Wall Stargazer, you’ll eventually find a room with a massive vertical drop and a series of wooden beams. Don't just fall; look for the elevator that leads to a lower level. In a side corridor—one usually guarded by a massive, hammer-wielding Alchemist—you’ll find a man standing by a brazier. That's him. Test Subject 826 is essentially a "memory reader," a human soul the Alchemists used to sift through Ergo memories.
Talk to him. Seriously, just keep talking until he stops saying new things. He'll give you the Happy Gesture, which is actually vital if you're trying to complete the Broken Puppet’s questline in the Barren Swamp.
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The mistake everyone makes
Here is the kicker: simply talking to him isn't enough to finish his "quest." You have to be his locksmith. There is a large set of double doors right near him. These doors lead to a shortcut back toward the Trinity Room and the path to Laxasia. If you do not interact with these doors and swing them open, Test Subject 826 will never move. He doesn't have the clearance.
You leave him there? He stays there. No rewards for you.
How to move Test Subject 826 to Rosa Isabelle Street
Most people finish the game and wonder why they're missing a weapon or a specific record. It's usually because they forgot to check back on the old neighborhoods. To get 826 to move, you must:
- Exhaust his dialogue in Arche Abbey.
- Open the shortcut door next to him.
- Defeat Laxasia the Complete.
After the lightning-fast Valkyrie is down, he packs up his few belongings and heads to the city. Specifically, he relocates to the bridge overlooking the burning street in Rosa Isabelle Street. This is the same bridge where you originally fought the Mad Clown Puppet. If you warp to the Rosa Isabelle Street Entrance Stargazer, just run straight through the gate and look up. He’ll be standing there, taking in the view.
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He’s a merchant now. He sells some of the best late-game gear, and frankly, some of the coolest looking stuff in the game.
What is he selling?
He isn't just there for lore. This guy is a goldmine for completionists and players looking for a specific "Advance" build power spike.
- Carcass Crystal Axe: A brutal Advance-scaling weapon that deals heavy Acid damage.
- The White Lady’s Hunting Apparel: If you liked the duel with the White Lady but hated her outfit wasn't in your inventory, here is your chance.
- LADA Disruption Cartridge: High-tier defensive gear that helps with those annoying status effects in the final boss fight.
- Fascination (Golden Record): Available only in New Game Plus. If you’re hunting for that "Golden" achievement, you cannot skip him.
The lore you might have missed
What makes Lies of P Test Subject 826 fascinating isn't just the loot. It's what he says about the world. He mentions being a fan of an actress named Patricia—the "White Lady." He tells you about her voice and the tragedy of her sister, Adelina. It adds a layer of genuine human sorrow to a boss fight that, until then, just felt like another hurdle.
He also solves a mystery for you. Remember Julian the Gentleman? The guy who asked you to find his "wife" (who turned out to be a puppet)?
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If you talk to 826 on the bridge, he mentions seeing a maid puppet with writing on her back. If you go back to where Melody’s body is (near the Rosa Isabelle Street Culvert), the body has shifted. You can now read a message written on the wall behind her: "I love you, Julian."
It’s a gut-punch. It proves that even if you lied to Julian and said his wife loved him, you weren't actually lying. The puppet really did have feelings. 826 is the bridge that connects these disparate stories.
Actionable Next Steps
If you are currently at the end of the game, go back to the Arche Abbey Outer Wall. Check that lower corridor. If he's still there, open that door! Once Laxasia is dead, warp to Rosa Isabelle Street and grab that Carcass Crystal Axe. It’s one of the few weapons that makes the final encounter with Simon Manus significantly easier due to the Acid chip damage.