Readability is important, no doubt. But it's just one part of the non-functional requirements of your code. As a codebase owner, you should define all the limitations that you have in the specific case and keep an eye on the codebase staying within them.
Code is meant to serve 2 purposes: 1. To clearly and effectively communicate to others how the system is supposed to operate. 2. See #1, if we mess that up nothing else matters.