Well yes there is growth, but again it's all just a player-game mechanic really and the quests show us progressing much faster than the norm. Also level is kind of meaningless when it comes to lore be cause we fight level 50 bandits and level 10 bandits and it isn't implied those level 50 bandits are kings of the bandit world just an equal or apt challenge for our character.

But yes growth is implied in an MMO.