Maria and the others' arrival was naturally at Duanmu Huai's behest; there was no need to ask.
That was also why Duanmu Huai neither cared about nor investigated the Elder Council. The moment they used Warp Daemons to forge weapons, they had already committed pure heresy. Their original intention might have been to help humanity survive, but using Warp Daemons for that purpose?
This was a matter of principle.
Duanmu Huai letting bygones be bygones was already showing them mercy. If it had been a Puritan Inquisitor, anyone who so much as brushed against Warp Space would have been killed. He had merely claimed the city for himself, which was already an extraordinary act of clemency.
That was also why Duanmu Huai had told the pirate girl earlier that he had been more than polite to Tenba. Regardless of how the Church or Tenba used Levatiel, the technology itself belonged to the Mechanicus Sect and had impeccable roots. It had no problems with Warp Space pollution or invasion, so the Inquisition would give them some benefits. For example, even if the Inquisition occupied the Floating Island, it would not interfere in its affairs. Instead, it would tacitly allow both sides to govern themselves, so long as they regularly paid Levatiel to the Inquisition. Then everything would be fine.
As for this underground city, there would be no such favorable treatment. Anyone tainted by Warp Space was a heretic. Not being burned to death on the spot was already an act of mercy, and they still wanted self-governance? Impossible. In Duanmu Huai's view, the city would belong to Tenba from then on. After all, the Space Elevator had already restarted, so managing it would not be much trouble.
As for the Elder Council? Those who needed to be executed would be