Honestly, I like that the author emphasizes the fact that the princess is ultimately a side character who is weak. If she had bursted in the room and suddenly made everything perfect, it would've been a really boring plot progression.
I think this is a much richer story for the fact that things aren't going her way. It would be cool if somehow, by distancing herself from the emperor, she finds her own strength and ends up being able to stand on her own two feet while also being a competitor to the evil witchy lady.