The Grand Warlord’s Accidental Marriage

Chapter 001 – Ironstone City, White Swan Airport

*****

Ironstone City, White Swan Airport… the only international airport in the entire Ironstone.

This place was always bustling with crowds, no matter the time of day.

But right now, the entire airport felt eerily empty and quiet… almost as if it had been abandoned, with not a single person in sight.

Instead, a long security barricade had been erected outside the airport grounds, forcing everyone who had been originally inside to gather there.

Passengers, staff, and visitors.

The sheer size of the crowd was overwhelming, and the noise they created was both deafening and chaotic.

“What’s this nonsense?!”

“Wasn’t my plane about to board?!”

“Bastards! Do you know who I am?!”

“How dare you throw me out here with these peasants just because some so-called VIP is arriving?!”

“What audacity! Just because I choose not to use my identity doesn’t mean I’m not a VIP too!”

“Damn it! I’ve been to more than a dozen countries, and never… not even once have I heard of an entire airport shutting down for one person!”

The crowd’s furious shouts filled the air, their glares locked onto the armed police officers standing guard around the perimeter.

Still, among the sea of outrage, a small handful of people were more curious than angry.

“How powerful does someone have to be to shut down an entire airport?”

“Could it be the president?”

The questions spread, but they did little to calm the growing unrest.

The crowd’s patience thinned with every passing second, their hostility toward the officers growing sharper.

Yet the armed police remained motionless, all of them appearing as though they neither heard the insults nor cared about the fury aimed at them.

Though if one looked closely enough, it was clear that even they were confused.

Like that, the tense standoff continued for what felt like forever until finally….

“Fuck it!” someone suddenly shouted from within the crowd. “I refuse to believe these dogs will actually attack us if we force our way back inside!”

No one knew who had spoken, but the effect was immediate.

It was as if those words had shattered the final thread of restraint holding everyone back.

“That’s right!”

The crowd instantly roared in agreement.

“Even if they attack us, how many of us can they really stop?!”

“They can’t stop everyone!”

Their anger surged, their eyes growing wild.

And without further hesitation, they decided to charge forward, but just at that moment…

Vroom!

The loud sound of approaching engines erupted through the chaos, the noise so powerful that the crowd of over a thousand people was instantly startled, many instinctively turning.

At first, most had no intention of abandoning their plan, but then…

The moment their eyes landed on the plate number of the leading vehicle, their mouths fell open in a quick succession.

“The… the Stellar Group?” several people stammered, their voices trembling so badly it sounded as though their tongues had suddenly forgotten how to function.

In an instant, the entire crowd froze.

It didn’t matter whether they were wealthy businessmen, arrogant officials, spoiled heirs, or ordinary travelers… every single person stood rooted in place, staring ahead in complete disbelief as the convoy approached.

Their earlier fury vanished so fast it was almost embarrassing.

The line of luxurious black vehicles moved with intimidating precision, their polished exteriors gleaming under the morning sun.

Then, before thousands of stunned eyes, the convoy passed through the heavily guarded perimeter without the slightest obstruction and came to a smooth stop directly at the airport’s main entrance.

Only then did the crowd finally snap back to reality.

“The… the Stellar Group!”

The exclamations spread like wildfire, people exchanging dumbfounded stares, each face mirroring the same thought.

‘The Stellar Group actually sent a convoy?’

That single question erupted in nearly every mind like thunder.

At that moment, all previous outrage disappeared completely, replaced by overwhelming curiosity and rising disbelief.

Their thoughts spiraled.

‘Who… who could deserve this kind of reception?’

‘What sort of terrifying figure is arriving?’

Stellar Group wasn’t just powerful. It was the undisputed corporate giant of Ironstone City, a colossal force rumored to have deep ties to influential powers in the Imperial Capital itself.

Their wealth was monstrous, their influence terrifying, and their status untouchable.

In Ironstone, Stellar Group wasn’t merely a company… it was practically its own kingdom.

And yet…

The sound of nervous gulps suddenly echoed through the tense silence.

Even the loudest complainers earlier now looked like children who had accidentally insulted royalty.

Just at that moment, the doors of both the leading and rear vehicles swung open, and immediately, suited bodyguards stepped out, their movements sharp, disciplined, and flawlessly coordinated.

There wasn’t even a second of hesitation.

Like a machine executing a perfected command, they quickly formed ranks around the middle vehicle.

Several guards stood at attention, their expressions cold and alert.

Then one of them stepped forward and respectfully opened the rear passenger door.

In the following second, a solemn middle-aged man in an immaculate, perfectly tailored suit stepped out.

His posture was straight, his aura commanding.

Yet the most shocking part wasn’t his wealth, appearance, or status.

It was the unmistakable respect in his actions as he turned toward the terminal building.

“This…”

Every jaw dropped to the ground.

Seeing the Stellar Group convoy alone had already shattered expectations, but now…

The crowd’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, their hearts skipping in their chests.

‘That… that’s Jason Hunter!’

‘The CEO of Stellar Group!’

The realization exploded through the crowd like a bomb.

Jason Hunter was one of the most influential business titans in Ironstone City, a man whose name alone carried enough weight to silence boardrooms.

He was a figure countless people would never even dream of meeting, and yet, here he was personally here to receive someone.

The sheer implication was horrifying.

Many in the crowd instantly recalled their earlier outrage… their shouting, threats, and most of all, their plans to force their way past security.

In an instant, cold sweat drenched their backs, their limbs going weak as they tried to imagine what would have happened if they had acted.

They had no idea, but they were certain the consequences would have been catastrophic.

‘Who… who could possibly be important enough to make Jason Hunter himself come personally?’

Their mind reeled, none of them able to return to their senses again, until suddenly…

From the corner of their eyes, the crowd felt movement emerge from the terminal.

They instinctively turned, and there, under thousands of burning gazes, a lone man casually walked out.

His pace was unhurried and even casual.

He wore a black trench coat, a mask, and a hat, a backpack slung casually against his shoulder.

Seeing this, everyone froze, their breathing suddenly caught in their throat.

‘Is this… the person?’ The question echoed in their minds.

….

Meanwhile, as soon as Nicholas stepped out of the terminal, he couldn’t help but pause briefly, his gaze sweeping across the grand spectacle before him.

In the next second, his brow furrowed ever so slightly beneath his mask. ‘What’s this?’ he wondered.

With that, he continued forward, still maintaining his calm, casual, and nonchalant steps.

It was as though the absurdly extravagant reception was nothing more than a mildly annoying inconvenience.

Ahead, Jason Hunter immediately stepped forward, ready to personally welcome him, but just then…

“What’s with this unnecessary fanfare?” Nicholas complained, his voice lazy, yet filled with clear dissatisfaction. “I thought I already made my intention to return quietly, not announced to the entire city, clear.”

“I…”

Jason froze.

Then subconsciously, his eyes instinctively darted toward the crowd still gawking at them, then back to the masked man, and in that instant…

He felt cold sweat breaking out on his back.

‘What have I done?’ The thought struck him.

He had intended to honor Nicholas, ensure maximum security, and demonstrate absolute loyalty to him, yet…

‘How could I have been this careless?!’ He thought bitterly.

Following this, Jason forced himself back to his senses and immediately lowered his head.

“Apologies, sir,” he said hurriedly, his voice tight and remorseful.

At this point, he was fully prepared for the consequences, but then…

“We’ve already disrupted the airport’s operation enough,” Nicholas said, waving impatiently as though the matter no longer deserved additional discussion. “We should leave already.”

Finished uttering that, he casually strode past the middle-aged man and moved toward the convoy, his trench coat shifting slightly as he moved.

He entered the still-open rear vehicle with effortless ease, silently thinking…

‘Good thing I wore a mask.’

…

Meanwhile, Jason remained frozen for a full second, his mind struggling to process how easily Nicholas had just dismissed the matter.

Ultimately, a strange wave of relief nearly made his knees weak.

But he wasted no further time.

Without hesitation, he hurried after Nicholas and got into the same vehicle, deliberately choosing the passenger seat rather than presuming any sense of equality.

As soon as he was seated, the guards returned to their assigned vehicles, and the convoy resumed motion.

Within moments, the entire procession set off, leaving the area behind.

Once they were gone, a deep, stunned silence settled over the airport… the kind that only comes when thousands of people collectively realize they’ve just witnessed something far beyond their own social standing.

Then…

Chaos exploded once more, only this time, it was much worse.

The police quickly dispersed, the barricades were removed, and normal operations resumed.

Yet astonishingly, the crowd that had been so incensed earlier due to their delayed schedules no longer seemed in much of a hurry.

Instead, they remained rooted in place, loudly exclaiming in utter bewilderment over what they had just witnessed.

“Who was that man?!”

“I couldn’t see his face, but he definitely wasn’t old!”

“I swear, Jason Hunter bowed to him!”

“What kind of person makes the CEO of Stellar Group sit in the passenger seat of a car?!”

The crowd erupted into wild speculation.