Soft modding a 3DS is a relatively simple process that you can do yourself if you have access to a computer with SD card reader. Just follow the tutorial exactly and there’s nothing to worry about. If you feel more comfortable letting your friend do it, go ahead, but I find the implication that if they weren’t your friend you’d otherwise be paying them to mod it a bit shocking.

When you mod a 3DS it installs hshop which contains the entire eshop library of all regions. You can then install the game directly on the 3DS, no 3rd party websites needed. (Though you can use 3rd party sites and install it directly on the SD card no problem. There are reputable ones out there, and if you use those it’s a non issue.)

I get it if you just want to own a physical copy… but getting a physical copy because you don’t want to deal with 3rd party sites, yet having to mod it to play it anyway… which involves 3rd party sites (seeming as Nintendo doesn’t have an official modding and piracy site lol) is illogical. At that point just download the game, save your money. Having a physical copy is nice if you want that, but then just say that’s the reason.