@Herurin , it makes it feel more real in a why that everything is not easy and there not gods at everything they do.
@Darkmeep , I think they are more pointing out how small she is. For her age she should be bigger but she isn't. I don't think anyone knows, in the story, how mistreated she was as a child just think she was poor. They point out alot how bad her body condition, with both the emperor and her friend trying to look after her. But her being a Ren may have something to do with it since they link the two alot.