diff --git a/sass/parts/_misc.scss b/sass/parts/_misc.scss
index 36f027f..0580780 100644
--- a/sass/parts/_misc.scss
+++ b/sass/parts/_misc.scss
@@ -85,30 +85,21 @@ a {
 // External link styles with `external_links_class = "external"`.
 main {
     --external-link-icon: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'%3E%3Cg fill='none' stroke='currentColor' stroke-linecap='round' stroke-linejoin='round' stroke-width='2'%3E%3Cpath d='M11 5h-6v14h14v-6'/%3E%3Cpath d='M13 11l7 -7'/%3E%3Cpath d='M21 3h-6M21 3v6'/%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E");
-    a.external:not(:has(img, svg, video, picture, figure)) {
-        display: inline-block;
-        padding-inline-end: 0.9em;
-    }
 
     a.external:not(:has(img, svg, video, picture, figure))::after {
-        -webkit-mask-image: var(--external-link-icon);
-        -webkit-mask-size: 100% 100%;
         display: inline-block;
-        position: absolute;
-        top: 50%;
-        transform: translateY(-50%);
-        mask-image: var(--external-link-icon);
-        mask-size: 100% 100%;
-        margin-inline-start: 0.2em;
-        inset-inline-end: 0;
+        vertical-align: -0.05em;
+        margin-inline-start: 0.1em;
         background-color: currentColor;
         width: 0.8em;
         height: 0.8em;
         content: '';
+        -webkit-mask-image: var(--external-link-icon);
+        -webkit-mask-size: 100% 100%;
     }
 
     &:dir(rtl) a.external:not(:has(img, svg, video, picture, figure))::after {
-        transform: translateY(-50%) rotate(-90deg);
+        transform: rotate(-90deg);
     }
 
     .meta a.external:not(:has(img, svg, video, picture, figure))::after {