In MMORPGs, "grinding" is doing something you don't enjoy (quests, killing the same monster/dungeon 100x, etc), so you can effectively do something you do enjoy (raids/pvp, whatever).
cRPG has no such "filler". People play this game because they like playing a somewhat realistic multiplayer medieval combat simulator with an in-depth melee combat system. That's all there is to do, and it's fun. In the only game mode I play (siege), you never have to wait more than a minute before you are locked in some kind of multiplayer combat.
The leveling aspect isn't a "grind", because you still get to take part in the same fun combat mechanics regardless of your level. It's more satisfying to kill a level 30+ when you are level 1 than to get 20 kills when you're high level yourself. If you don't like being a peasant, you don't ever have to, just skip the fun.
