Swords are boring and overrated unless it's carried by a nobleman trying to project status or participate in fancy yet ultimately unwarlike duels. I guess soldiers with better main weapons could also carry a shortsword as a sidearm as well, but otherwise, you're gonna want a warhammer, a mace, or even better, a spear. Hell, even an axe is better than a fucking sword if you haven't trained in either yet.
And of course, you're gonna want to grow up eventually and train in a proper ranged weapon so you can kill people with minimal risk of being killed right back through the very same means you're trying to kill them and not have to smell their shit and blood every time you do.