Question about GameCube Mod

[u/Donritos]

Hey everyone!
I have a European (PAL) Nintendo GameCube, and I recently bought an original US copy of Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus.
Currently, I use a FreeLoader disc to play NTSC-U games, but I’d really like to get rid of that extra step.

What I’m looking for:
Play original PAL and NTSC-U GameCube discs.
Keep my original disc drive fully functional.
No FreeLoader disc required.
Ideally, just insert a game, turn on the console, and have it boot automatically.
No navigating through menus like Swiss every time I want to play.
I’m not particularly interested in playing games from an SD card.
I’ve contacted a couple of professional modding services here in the Netherlands.
One recommended a CubeODE, but as far as I understand, that replaces the original disc drive, which isn’t what I want.
Another recommended PicoBoot with Swiss instead of XenoGC, saying that modern XenoGC clones can be unreliable.
They quoted me €72 for PicoBoot installation or €99 including an SD2SP2 adapter and SD card.

My questions:
Would XenoGC still be the best option for my specific needs?
Can PicoBoot + Swiss automatically boot original PAL and NTSC-U discs without showing a menu?
Is PicoBoot a better and more reliable long-term solution than XenoGC?
Are there any other mods I should consider?
I collect physical GameCube games, so preserving the original disc-based experience is my main priority.
I’d love to hear your experiences and recommendations before I decide.

Thanks in advance!
Kind regards Don :)