"Where's James Black? Is he still out on a mission? Can't get in touch with him? So how does your family plan to arrange things? Are you waiting for James Black to come back before holding the funeral, or not going to wait for him?" Alexander Forest was James Black's childhood friend, so he was aware of the special nature of James's occupation.
Not to mention, when James Black first enlisted, going out on a mission for a few days to a week was considered fast; three to five months weren't unheard of either.
And at James's level, unless it's something particularly troublesome, he wouldn't usually go to the front line again.
So, this time James went on a mission, and it's expected that he wouldn't return quickly.
Alexander Forest said, "Jane is gone, already cremated. It's often said that we should let the deceased be at peace sooner. But in this situation, if we don't wait for James Black to return before sending Jane off, when James comes back, it would be a blow to him."
