| Level 29 is more than enough to start chapter 4 with. You need not worry.
Hiring a mercenary will not effect you experience gain in any way, everything he kills will get you the same amount of experience points as if you had killed it yourself.
There is no way to sack a mercenary without hiring a new one. If you don't want him then the only thing to do is to kill him and don't resurrect him.
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While others climb the mountains High, beneath the tree I love to lie
And watch the snails go whizzing by, It's foolish but it's fun |