Evil is not absent in the world, but DQ, unlike D&D, does not have a strictly set alignment system. It is assumed that all player characters are 'heros', while some may be more purely good than others, all are basically good in nature. Enemies that the players will face are at least evil from the perspective of the players and the kingdom in general (Near-folk (orcs), grim-folks (goblins), and the solar sea (southern) barbarians are examples). But there are some villians (Master Kell would be a perfect example) who are considered Evil by his actions and some creatures (undead) that are evil by their nature.
I would not wish for any player concern themselves overly much about whether or not your actions might be perceived as evil. If any player were to plan to do something truly 'evil' (so as to be out of character or against upright moral conduct) I for one would offer the warning to the player about how his or her actions may be interpreted and that he/she may be called to account for those actions at a later time.
To be sure, evil exists in the world, but as has been commented on in a different post, we had originally designed the world and the time to be a 'golden age' and a time of adventure for discovery. But it has been brought to our attention that the world needs a 'big bad' with which the players can derive direction for their lives. With that having been said, beware the rise of...
Bob (don't ask)
