I'm no UI expert, but I think if you added a dark font outline color to the text and then increased the outline size it'd help give it some contrast with the background and make it more readable.
Ah ya I know what you mean. I've had good luck in the past using these pixel fonts https://nimblebeastscollective.itch.io/nb-pixel-font-bundle, and then making the font size a multiple of 16, then they looked clean with the outline. This is with Rockboxcond12 from that bundle at 16 and 32 font size, idk if font size 16 is too big for your game tho, could maybe find a smaller base size pixel font somewhere if 16 is too big.
